I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about Pete Seeger since he died. I took some time to wander back through my memories. I visited my childhood, listening to my parents sing “Where Have All the Flowers gone.” The soundtrack of my youth included Peter Paul and Mary’s version of his song “If I had a Hammer.” At any significant gathering of family or friends my father could be found with his Banjo singing Pete’s version of “Hobo’s Lullaby.” The kids all knew if they were patient they’d get treated to my dad’s rendition of Pete’s story of the giant Abi Yoyo.

Pete once said in an interview “I lost my heart to the old-fashioned five-string banjo played mountain style.” That happened to me when I pulled open one of Pete’s LP’s I’d found in a dusty box somewhere and first heard him play East Virginia. I decided I had to learn the banjo. My dad loaned me his Seeger style long neck banjo and the banjo instruction book (by Pete Seeger) that he had used. It was the one where Pete included a section on cutting the neck on the banjo and whittling a new piece to insert so you could add three frets.

Over the years I’ve watched Pete sing with everyone, and listened to almost everyone singing his songs with him from all over the place. On his banjo he wrote “This machine surrounds hate and forces it to surrender.” He felt the boundaries we erect between us could be removed through music. He said “It's a very important thing to learn to talk to people you disagree with.” And he made that possible by giving us songs we could all sing together. He said “I have sung in hobo jungles, and I have sung for the Rockefellers, and I am proud that I have never refused to sing for anybody.”

Pete once said “I feel that my whole life is a contribution.” He lived according to that motto, giving the country he loved, the planet he loved, the human race that he loved, so much. Thinking of all this, I was keenly aware that for all these ways in which Pete had shaped and touched my life, I had never met him in person. That in fact, although Pete was gone from his body, he was still very much present in my life. Inspired by that, I wrote a song in memory of Pete Seeger, and everyone else… because I think Pete would like it that way. Travel on Pete! And thanks for showing us the way!

Travel On

When I lay my body downYou won’t find me undergroundWon’t be singing praises aboveI’ll live on through those I loveHallelujah! When I’m gone That’s how I will travel on.Hallelujah! As I goBack from the part into the whole.

When I lay my day to restI hope I have done my bestTo give my heart to those in needLike others did for me.Hallelujah! When I’m gone That’s how I will travel on.Hallelujah! As I goBack from the part into the whole.

When I’ve said my last farewellHere’s where I’m going to dwellI will nestle like a doveIn the hearts of those I love. Hallelujah! When I’m gone That’s how I will travel on.Hallelujah! Do your partHallelujah! As I goBack from the part into the whole.

When I lay this body downYou won’t find me underground.Won’t be missing when I’m goneI’m going to travel on.

Otter Creek will be performing tomorrow morning at the South Valley Unitarian Universalist Society in Salt Lake City. They will lead a sing along of some of Pete Seeger’s songs and will debut their new song “Travel On” written in memory of him (and everyone else). When: Sun Feb 09 14 10:30 AMWhere: South Valley Unitarian Universalist Society , 6876 Highland Dr, Salt Lake City, UT, 84121, US